The Hunger Games
by MurderKarp
Summary: A Hunger Games/LoK crossover. No Hunger Games characters are present. Is a Howrra fic.


i.

Her name was pulled. Sure, she had been training for this day her whole life, but she thought she had been in the clear. This was supposed to be her final reaping, but not for the reason it was about to be. She could feel the eyes of all the other members of the Southern Water Tribe burning into her. Of course, none of them would volunteer. She knew there were kids behind her who had their names entered many more times than her. To them, she was a sacrificial lamb. She meant they had been spared another year.

Korra forced the thoughts out of her mind as she made her way up to the ice stage where a woman behind a podium of ice waited for her. The seventeen-year-old girl kept a smirk on her face. Her strides were steady, and long. She walked with her chin up, as she had always been told to do. She was not going to show the fear that was slowly creeping up on her. She was strong, and well trained, but the thought of fighting other _children_ to the death scared her. Twenty-four of them would enter the arena, and only one would come out.

She glanced over at the boy that had been pulled from the jar of names. She could see the shock in Howl's eyes, although the rest of his face was emotionless. She caught him staring back, and immediately looked away. The fear was instantly replaced with anger. This was all unfair.

She balled her hands into fists as she stared out at the solemn faces of the crowd. She scanned over the people she had grown up with, until she found her parents. She could see her mother's form shaking, her face buried in her hands. The sight caused Korra's stomach to churn. She had to look away. She could not stand seeing her parents so distraught. She crossed her arms underneath her chest, and gave a snort.

"May the odds be _ever_ in your favor," the woman cooed into the microphone, her voice nearly monotonous and filled with a sick enthusiasm. She leaned on the podium. There was something eerie about the smile she wore, as if she felt pleasure by looking at such grave expressions of the people they had locked up in the ice prison.

Relief washed over Korra as she was led away from the stage, and toward her home. The _Equalists_ had the decency to allow the tributes to say farewell to those closest to them. She did not want to have to face those she would be leaving, but she knew she would regret it if she turned down the offer.

As she was pushed away, she glanced back at Howl. Her eyes stayed locked on him until he disappeared. Of all the people that could have been thrown into the arena with her, it had to be him. She had grown up with the young swordsman. He was her best friend, and the one person she went to whenever she needed to talk to someone. He was the boy she often sparred with, the one who helped her tame the polar bear dog they hunted with, as well as the boy whom she forced to accept her first kiss. He was hers, and not some pawn in the Equalists' sadistic games.

She held her breath, and listened to the sound of snow crunching beneath her boots. She kept her arms crossed, as if holding herself together. She did not allow things to bother her, but this was overwhelming. These distraught feelings were so foreign to her. She was not quite sure how to handle them, but she was not going to let the Equalists think she was fearful. She needed sponsors in that arena if she were to survive. She needed them to think she was eager to fight, and a born killer.

"You have three minutes," one of the masked Equalists behind her grunted as they came to the house. She could see her parents already waiting for her near the door. The couple made eye contact before slipping inside of the house. Korra quickly slipped in behind them. Her Equalist guide slammed the door shut, leaving the group alone to say their goodbyes.

Senna's face shone with tears as she came up to Korra. She tightly hugged her precious daughter. The woman's body trembled as tears continued to spill. She buried her face in the fur of Korra's hood. Tonraq joined the hug, and at that moment, it took everything in the young Avatar not to cry. She hugged her parents back.

"You better fight hard," Tonraq told the girl, his voice low, and gruff. Korra could hear the slightest quiver in his voice. She could feel his body tense as he tried holding back any tears that threatened to fill his tired eyes. She looked up at him and gave a nod.

"Of course," Korra responded with determination. She would win, and return to her family.

The anger quickly returned. She hated Republic City, and everything it stood for. After the One Hundred Year War, and the peace talks, the city ignored everything Avatar Aang stood for. The Equalist movement had been waiting for the day that the Avatar would pass away, and once he did, their plan had been put into motion.

Many people had died in the Equalist revolt against the benders, but after a long struggle over the course of a year, the Equalists won. As penance for the years of oppressing the nonbenders, the Equalists forced the remaining three nations to offer children, ages twelve to seventeen, as tribute. It was decreed that they would fight to the death, until one remained.

Those who supported the movement were allowed to live within Republic City, forcing those who had fought back to pay the price. Korra was now a tribute in the sick games of those who had fought to stop oppression, which included nonbenders who wanted equality, but were against such drastic measures.

"Remember what Master Katara taught you," Tonraq continued, his voice still wavering. "I love you, kiddo," the man sighed, finally allowing a few tears to fall.

"We love you so much, Korra," Senna cooed, finally able to control her tears.

Korra pulled away from her parents. A tear escaped her eyes, but she kept a smile on her face. She knew it was not reassuring, and her knitted brows betrayed her chaotic emotions, but she did not want to worry them. She glanced between them, still holding back tears. "I love you, too," she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

Senna reached out and used her sleeve to dab the tear off of Korra's cheek. She gave her daughter a reassuring smile. "Don't let them know, alright?"

Korra knew exactly what her mother meant. She was not yet a fully realized Avatar, but she had been training these past years so that they may rise above the Equalists. Her status as Avatar had been kept a secret, and they had been able to train her. The Order of the White Lotus members that had been trapped in the Southern Water Tribe were her teachers, as well as the reason the Tribe had their freedoms the other Nations could only dream of, such as the ability to hunt, and build their numbers.

"Your three minutes are up!" The female Equalist shouted as the door swung open. She reached in and pulled Korra out of the room, and out of the arms of her parents. She shuttered and listened to the door slamming before she was pulled away from her parents, leaving them to wonder if that were the last time they would ever see their daughter again.


End file.
